Chapter 6: The Trouble With Trouble is…

Of all the things I've done and out of everything I am I never thought I would once consider going to the scariest place in Townsville. I knew Buttercup would find it thrilling and Blossom would see it as something to get rid of to make our city better, but I never once thought of it either way. I always saw it like I saw the dark.

Full of shadows and bad men.

What would you think if you saw me here?

Bubbles hides beside an overgrown tree. She shivers from fear more than cold. How can she think she can walk in there and be one of them? How can she believe that she really doesn't care about what happens to her because one boy that broke her heart? It was only her heart, right? That was mend-able, wasn't it?

She clutches at her chest. Her stomach feels violently ill and her head hurts, but there's nothing like the overwhelming urge of negative emotions making it hard for her to breathe. It's choking her.

It gives her courage to go forward with the crazy plan she didn't really think through. Anything, really to change the panicky highs and lows she's been going through ever since she decided to break up with Boomer. She'd do anything just to feel some sort of normal again.

Bubbles slips easy into The Dump. Everyone who sees her comments in some vulgar way about her beauty and body. It makes her feel insecure and violated, even though no one touches her physically.

"Oh! I love this song!" She says to herself as she joins the other girls who are more scantily dressed than her and sways her hips on the dance floor. Her fear and even her anguish over Boomer is lost in the melody as she pushes the hair out of her face, twirls, and dips low.

The girls compliment her as they maneuver to grab her hips and dance with her. Bubbles feels like she's back at a school dance with her friends all around her even though they're all strangers.

Her blue eyes search around for somewhere to get a drink and she spots Butch looking at her. He raises an eyebrow. For some reason this makes her blush. She knows he doesn't really care about her, but she can still appreciate what he did. (She just likes to conveniently forget that it was because of Boomer that he did it.)

He slips from her view, but she thinks nothing of it. She's too busy giggling as she spins around with the other girls. She's always loved to dance. And she's always been easily distracted…

Because when a pair of men's arms wrap around her waist and his body molds to her as he easily keeps up with the beat she's dancing to she knows that she should have paid more attention. Bubbles turns to push the stranger away, but finds herself gaping at Butch's emerald eyes and his teasing smirk.

"You just love being in places where you don't belong."

"You just love butting in, even when you don't care." The blonde puff finds herself retorting. She gasps and covers her mouth.

He laughs. He doesn't even care about her snapping at him. She starts to wonder if he cares at anything at all.

"You don't care about anything, do you?"

"I like to fight." He answers evasively. That infuriating smirk still in place as he pulls her closer and leads her in a dance Blossom and Buttercup would have both seen as inappropriate.

"Why'd you agree to help Boomer explain things to me?"

"Oh, so now you want to know everything?" He asks instead of answers as he dips her down and twirls her so her back is to his chest.

"Why you? Why not Brick or someone else?" Why on earth would Butch distract her from her heartbreak just for Boomer? The Rowdyruff Boys were never that close. She doubts they talk at all unless it's about some way to destroy her and her sisters.

Butch snorts in her ear, "because Brick isn't dumb enough to lose a bet to Boomer."

"You… you kissed me, made me laugh, held me when I cried, and forced me to know the truth about Boomer's relationship with that…that girl because you lost a bet?" Bubbles high pitched voice switches to a squeak as she speaks. She hates it when her voice does that, but she's so mad she has no control over sounding like her six year old self.

"Well… yeah. Plus you're easy on the eyes if you know what I… oof!"

She elbows him in the stomach. Hard. There's a feeling of self-satisfaction when she sees him bent over holding his belly. Bubbles calls to him as she rushes out of The Dump. "That's what you get for being a heartless jerk Butch Jojo!"

The blonde girl doesn't pay any attention to how everyone stops and stares at their exchange. She doesn't feel the fear she should for being able to double over the one of the toughest foes the Powerpuff Girls had ever faced.

It serves him right! Bubbles fumes as she flies home. All of them are big dumb stupid jerks! I hate the Rowdyruff Boys!

She huffs as she changes for bed and pulls the covers over her head.

Wanting to cause some trouble and forget about her heartbreak was far, far from her mind.

XXX

She was still angry when she woke up later that day, but it faded quickly as she thought about last night. Maybe Boomer cared enough about me he tricked Butch into taking care of me because he couldn't do it himself. "Psht. Yeah right."

Bubbles squealed into her pillow. I went to the Dump! I danced with skanky girls! And Butch! Oh, then I elbowed him… well he deserved it. But…But…

"But he did go to all that trouble even though it was because of a bet. He did a good job distracting me too."

Maybe I should apologize…

"Why are you talking to yourself?" Buttercup asks as she enters the room. Bubbles jumps up screaming. "OW! MY EARS DAMN IT!"

"Sorry!"

"What's wrong Bubbles!? Are you hurt? Why were you screaming?" Blossom came rushing in, ready to fight.

The blonde puff blushes, "I… I'm sorry! Buttercup scared me!"

"I wouldn't have scared you if you weren't talking to yourself like a psycho!"

"I am not a psycho!"

"You're acting like- "

"STOP!" Blossom ordered. "Bubbles try not to scream next time you're surprised and Buttercup… be nice."

"I was being nice."

"No you weren't! You called me a psycho!" Bubbles complains.

Buttercup crosses her arms before getting into her sisters face. "I said you were acting like one."

"I was not!"

"Urrrrhhhh!" Blossom groans. "KNOCK IT OFF BOTH OF YOU THIS IS NO WAY TO SPEND THE WEEKEND!"

"Oh... girls?" The Professor pops his head into the room. "Bickering again?"

Bubbles watches his kind face lit into a smile. Automatically the girls apologize at the same time. "I'm sorry Professor."

"Bubbles started it." Buttercup whispers.

"Hey!"

The Professor laughs. "It's alright girls. Actually it's nice you three are fighting like normal. I was worried because it's been too quiet this past week."

Bubbles lowers her head as Blossom and Buttercup look away. She was the reason no one was acting like normal, but her sisters weren't going to tell him that.

"Is there anything going on that I should know about?"

"No, Professor." Blossom lies. "We've just been focusing our energy on homework."

Buttercup sticks out her tongue in disgust. "Not homework. Sports!"

Everyone looks to me. "I…I've been sent to detention for being late with no excuse!"

The Professor chuckles. "That's okay Bubbles. Not everyone is an early riser like Blossom."

"You can say that again." Buttercup adds.

Blossom glares at her dark haired sister. "Do you have to add something nasty to everything you say?"

"Well excuse me if I don't shit out…"

"Buttercup! Language!"

"Sorry mom!"

The Professor retreats from their bedroom as Buttercup and Blossom continue to bicker. Bubbles giggles and announces. "Let's have a movie day!"

"Action and horror movies!" Buttercup adds in a demand, easily going from one topic to the other.

Blossom sighs, "Why don't we watch romance or an intellectual movie that teaches us the importance of – "

"Blah!"

Both girls turn to look at Bubbles. She offers a silly grin. "Comedy or cartoons?"

"Comedy." Buttercup and Blossom agree.

I'll just figure out how to make up with Butch later. Bubbles thought as they start to bicker about what kind of comedy to watch while they walk down the stairs to the living room. Why not just enjoy a happy moment with my sisters today.

NOTES:
Oh my! I got stuck somewhere in the beginning of this chapter, then had to give it some time before I could figure out how to write it the way I wanted. I'm glad it came out this way and I can't wait for what's coming next. I just hope I don't get stuck again…

Thank you for all your reviews!